Abrading machine



March 3, 1936. A HN N 2,032,418

ABRADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l AWE/W05 03 QILTM March 3, 1936. A. s. JOHNSON ABRADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 3, 1936. A. s. JOHNSON 2,032,418

ABRADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet (5 Fig-.5.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ABRADING MACHINE Application December 11, 1931, Serial No. 580,388

3 Claims.

This invention relates to abrading machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,078,050, granted November 11, 1913,

upon the application of Elmer E. Lane. The illustrated machine, like the machine disclosedv in the patent to Lane, is provided with an abrading roll and a feed roll. Machines of this type are used to perform scouring, buffing or other abrading operations upon pieces of sheet material, for example upon shoe parts such as soles, counters, box toes and the like. The illustrated machine, for example, has been used for roughing outsoles, although its use is not restricted to roughing operations.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved machine of the type under consideration.

An operator in feeding work pieces which are of considerably less width than the length of the abrading roll is likely to feed all of them at the central portion of the roll to the neglect of the end portions, thereby causing undue wear of the abrasive at the central portion of the roll and Wasting the abrasive material adjacent to the ends of, the roll. With a View to overcoming this difficulty and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the illustrated machine is provided with a guide constructed and arranged to direct the feeding of work pieces which are of considerably less width than the length of the roll, and means is provided for reciprocating this work guide longitudinally of the roll to cause the feeding of successive work pieces to be directed along roll.

These and other features of the invention including certain details of construction and com binations of parts will be set forth in connection with an illustrative machine and pointed out. in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the head of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in front elevation showing a part of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary plan Views of alternative forms of abrading elements respectively.

The supporting structure of the machine consists of a frame I adapted to rest upon the floor and carrying at its upper end a left-hand side plate l2 and a right-hand side plate l4 which together support the operating instrumentalities various portions of the length of the abrading of the. machine. Each of the plates [2 and I4 is provided with an internal flange [5 as shown in Fig. 1,, the portion of the flange l5 which extends along the lower edge of each of the plates serving to enable its respective plate to be bolted to so the frame l0. In the upper portion of each of the plates l2 and I4 is a slot I6 which extends forwardly and downwardly. Slidably mounted in each of the slots 16 is a block l8. A cap plate 20 secured to the flange l5 of each of the plates 10 I2 and I4 closes the upper and rear ends of the slot 16 of its respective plate. A bolt 22 is threaded through each of the plates 20 and has a swiveled connection with its respective block l8 so that by turning the bolt 22 an adjustment upwardly or downwardly of the block I8 may be effected. Each of the bolts 22 is provided with a grip handle 24 forfacilitating such adjustment and, with a lock nut 26 for securing the bolt in its adjusted position. J ournaled in the blocks I8 is a shaft 28 upon one end of which is mounted a pulley 30 driven by a belt 32. A belt tightening pulley 34 (Fig. 2) serves to maintain the proper tension in the belt 32. Mounted upon the shaft 28 is an abrading roll 36. A hand wheel 38 is 5 secured to, the shaft 28 to enable the latter to be turned to a convenient position for removing or replacing an abrasive element upon the roll 36.

Carried by each of the plates l2 and I4 respectively are bearings 40 in which is journaled a 30 shaft 42 carrying a feed roll 44 which is parallel to and closely adjacent to the abrading roll 36. The feed roll 44 consists of a metal core 46 covered by a thick cushion of rubber 48. One end of the shaft 42 carries a sprocket wheel 50 which is driven by a chain 52. Each of the flanges l5 has a portion 54 (Fig. 1) extending parallel to the slot l6 of its respective side plate. These portions 54 constitute guideways for a plate 56 upon which is secured a presser plate 58. The presser plate 58 extends downwardly and rearwardly toward the bite of the rolls 36 and 44 and it is secured in the plate 56 by means of screws 60 which extend through slots 62 in the presser plate 58 whereby the presser plate 58 may be adjustable upwardly or downwardly with relation to the plate 56. The lower and forward edge of the presser plate 58 is beveled adjacent to the feed roll 44. The plate 56 may be adjusted downwardly on guideways 54 by means of a pair of adjusting screws 64 each of which is threaded through one of the cap plates 20 and which bears against the upper edge of the adjacent end portion of the plate 56. A similar pair of adjusting screws 66, bearing against the lower edge of the plate 56, are threaded respectively through brackets 68 mounted upon the adjacent flanges I5 and serve for upward adjustment of the plate 56. After accurate adjustment of the position of the plate 56 has been determined by means of screws 64 and 66, the plate 56 is clamped securely in its adjusted position by means of a pair of bolts 10 extending through slots in the plate 56 and threade into the respective guideways 54.

Depending from each of the blocks I8 and rigidly secured thereto is an arm I2 carrying at its lower end a bearing 74 for a shaft I6. Carried upon the shaft I6 is a brush I8 provided with bristles 80 upon two diametrically opposite sectors of the brush. The brush I8 is driven by a belt I9 which engages a pulley 8| carried upon an end of the shaft 16. Secured to each of the brackets 68 and extending rearwardly therefrom is an arm 82 having formed at its rear end a split clamping lug 84 in which is threaded a stop screw 86 having a knurled head. After the block I8 has been adjusted to a desired position the stop screws 86 are turned until they engage the bearings 14 respectively. If the adjustment of the blocks I8 is disturbed, as in replacing the abrasive elementof the roll 36, or for any other reason, the stop screws 86 enable the position of original adjustment of'the blocks I8 readily to be determined. The stop screws 86 may be securely clamped in their adjusted positions by means of clamping bolts 88 threaded through the split lugs 84.

' For disposing of dust which is given off from the work in the operation of the machine there is provided a conduit having a pair of upright walls 90 and a bottom wall 92 which lead rear wardly to the intake opening 94 (Fig. 2) of a blower casing 96. A perforated delivery chute 91 extends forwardly and downwardly between the walls 90. Within the blower casing 96 is a blower having plates 98 and which is mounted upon a shaft I00 having a pulley I02 mounted upon one end thereof. A belt I04 drives the pulley I 02. The blower casing 96 has an outlet I 06 (Fig. 1) to which maybe connected a discharge conduit for conducting the dust either outside of the building or to a dust receiver. Hinged upon the blower casing 96 is a guard I08 which is curved over the abrading roll 36. A baille plate I I2 secured to the above-mentioned guard I08 extends close to the periphery of the abrading roll 36 and closes a draft between the blower casing 96 and the periphery of the abrad ing wheel.

The illustrated machine, as so far described, differs from the machine disclosed in the abovementioned Letters Patnet No. 1,078,050 in that the patented machine is not provided with the stop screws 86, the clamping lugs 84, the clamping bolts 88, and the arms 82. The guard plate, which in the patented machine is curved about the upper forward sector of the feed roll, has been omitted in the machine herein illustrated. The brush of the present machine has two sectors of bristlesfwhereas the patented machine has only one. Except for these difierences, however, the illustrated machine as described up to this point is substantially like the patented machine. The instrumentalities for driving the belts 32, I9 and I04 and the chain 52 of the present machine have not been illustrated, inasmuch as they are substantially as shown in the abovementioned Letters Patent. The chain and the various belts may of course be connected as desired to one or more sources of power.

The abrading roll 36 consists of a two-part wooden core II4 pivotally connected by means of a hinge II6. Surrounding the core H4 and overlying the hinge H6 is a sheet of canvas II8. Vulcanized upon the canvas layer H8 is a cushion I20 composed of sponge rubber. Both the cushion I20 and the canvas II8 are continuous over the hinge II6 but are interrupted at the free ends respectively of the core sections I I 4 so as to enable the sections to be opened and closed.

--In'order to avoid any danger of those portions of the rubber cushion I20 adjacent to the free ends of the core II4 from becoming loose'from the core under the influence of centrifugal force when the roll is rapidly rotated, each section of the core hassecured upon its free radial face a sheet metal clip I22 having a circumferentially extending flange I24 about which the rubber of the cushion I20 is molded. To insure a positive union between the flange I24 and the rubber, perforations I25, in staggered relation to each other, are formed in the flanges through which the rubber may flow prior to its vulcanization. The rubber cover, when vulcanized, is thus positively and interlockingly bonded to the clips. The radial faces of the free ends of the core sections II4 are provided with the usual prongs for holding an abrasive cover. Any of the well-' known devices for securing together the two sections of a hinge roll may be employed.

The abrasive element upon the roll 36 comprises a sheet of emery cloth I26 (Fig. 4) which is secured in the usual way upon the periphery of the roll and which has formed in it a plurality of slits I28 which are parallel and in staggered relation to each other and which, when the abrasive cover I 26 is mounted upon the roll, extend circumferentially with respect to the roll. The purpose of these slits I28 is to enable the emery cloth I26 to flex to accommodate the varying contours of the work, thereby insuring a uniform treatment to all portions of the surface of the work, notwithstanding variations in the thickness of the work piece.

In Fig. 5 is shown alternative forms of abrasive element consisting of a sheet of emery cloth I30 having slits arranged in parallel pairs connected by. cuts which run longitudinally of the roll to form tabs I 32. The abrasive element I 30 is so mounted upon the roll 36, with respect to the direction of rotation of the roll, that the free ends of the tabs I 32 will be the trailing ends. When the roll is rotated the tabs I32 will swing outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force and thus bear yieldingly upon the work.

It has been found that in the use of machines of this character operators tend to feed the work pieces at the central portion of the abrading roll to the neglect of the end portions thereby utilizing only a small portion of the abrading element tion of the brush without utilizing the bristles at each end portion. In order to avoid this difficulty there is provided a guide plate I34 of considerably less width than the length of the abrading roll and having upstanding flanges I 36 which, together with the body portion of the guide plate, form a channel. The guide plate I34 is supported upon and may, as in the illustrated machine, be integral with a carriage I38 which is slidably and rotatably mounted upon a shaft I40 journaled in bearings formed in the brackets 68, the shaft I40 being substantially parallel to the axes of the abrading and feed rolls. Depending from the carriage I38 is a forked lug I42 which straddles a bar I44 thereby preventing rotation of the carriage I38 while permitting it to move longitudinally of the abrading and feed rolls. The ends of the bar I44 are secured respectively to the brackets 68. Formed in the shaft I40 is a cam groove I46. The groove I46, as shown in Fig. 3, has two oppositely directed helical portions which cross each other and which, at each of their ends, are connected to each other by curved continuations of the groove so that the cam groove is in the form of a closed continuous curve upon the surface of the shaft I40. Slidably engaging the groove I46 is a cam follower I48 having pointed ends to enable it when following the groove I46 along one of the helical portions to cross the other intersecting helical portion without jamming. The follower I48 is swiveled upon a pin I50 secured in the carriage I38 so that rotation of the shaft I40 will effect reciprocation of the carriage I38. Secured upon one end of the shaft I40 is a ratchet wheel I52 (Fig. l Eccentrically mounted upon one end of the feed roll shaft 42 is a pawl I54 which is maintained in engagement with the ratchet wheel I52 by a spring I56. Each rotation of the feed roll shaft 42 will cause the pawl I54 to advance the ratchet wheel I52 so that the shaft I40 is given a slow intermittent rotation thereby imparting to the feed plate I34 a still slower and intermittent reciprocation lengthwise of the feed and abrading rolls. In this way it is evident that the operator, without any need of attention on his part, will feed the various work pieces along different portions of the length of the rolls thereby utilizing all of the abrasive element upon the abrading roll and utilizing the brush to the fullest extent. A holding pawl I58 mounted upon a stub shaft I60 in the end plate I2 prevents the ratchet wheel I52 from slipping back. The holding pawl I58 is maintained in engagement with the ratchet wheel by means of a spring I62.

In operation, the abrading roll 36 is driven at a relatively high speed and the feed roll 44 at a much lower speed. The operator presents a work piece W, which, as shown in Fig. 1, may be an outsole, to the machine using the flanged feed plate I34 as a guide. The leading edge of the work piece W first engages the presser plate 58 which directs it against the feed roll 44. The rotation of the latter causes the work piece to advance and to pass between the bite of the rolls. Many work pieces are not of uniform thickness, for instance outsoles are frequently thinner at the edge portion than at the center portion particularly at the shank. The presser plate 58 serves to embed more or less the relatively thicker portions of the work piece into the yielding cover of the feed roll thus causing the surface which is to be treated to bear more or less uniformly against the abrading roll. However, in cases where the inequalities of the work piece are pronounced, it may sometimes occur that the thicker portions of the work piece bear with greater pressure than the thinner portions against the abrading roll notwithstanding the above-mentioned action of the presser plate 58. In order to avoid excessive abrading action upon the relatively thicker portioins to the neglect of the relatively thinner portions the yieldable cover I20 of the abrading roll is made of relatively soft sponge rubber, considerably softer than the material of the feed roll 44, and the above-mentioned slits I28 or tabs I32 are provided in the emery cloth to enable it to conform readily to the contour of the work piece. The abrading roll 36 is driven at a much higher speed than the feed roll 44 and in a direction opposite to that of the feed roll so that it too assists in feeding the work, but the presser plate 58 holds the work against the feed roll 44 with such pressure that the feed of the work is entirely under control of the feed roll without danger of being dragged forwardly by the abrading roll. The brush I8 loosens the dust from the surface of the work piece by both a brushing and a beating action and the dust is removed by the above-described suction draft system. The treated work piece falls upon the chute 91 which serves to deliverit to any desired receptacle.

The improvements in the abrasive cover, which is slitted for flexibility, are not claimed herein, but are claimed in my divisional application Serial No. 30,849, filed July 11, 1935.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An abrading machine comprising a driven abrading roll, means for feeding work past said roll, a guide plate having a pair of upstanding flanges which together with the body portion of said guide plate form a channel of considerably less width than the length of the roll for directing work pieces to a localized portion of the roll, and means for reciprocating said guide plate 1ongitudinally of said roll to distribute the wear of a plurality of work pieces along the length of the roll.

2. An abrading machine comprising a shaft, driving means for said shaft, an abrading roll on said shaft, work-feeding means cooperating with said roll, a member constructed and arranged to guide to said roll a work piece of considerably less width than the length of the roll, a carriage for supporting said guide member, a shaft upon which said carriage is mounted for relative rotary and longitudinal movement with respect thereto, means for restraining said carriage from rotation as the carriage shaft rotates while permitting the carriage to move longitudinally of the carriage shaft, said carriage shaft having formed in its surface an endless cam groove extending lengthwise as well as circumferentially of the carriage shaft, a cam follower engaging said cam groove and secured to said carriage whereby the rotation of the carriage shaft will cause reciprocation of the carriage, a ratchet wheel on said carriage shaft, a pawl driven by said abrading roll shaft and in driving engagement with said ratchet wheel to drive said carriage shaft, and means for preventing back slip of said ratchet wheel.

3. An abrading machine comprising a driven abrading roll, a driven feed roll cooperating with said abrading roll, said rolls being closely adjacent to each other for pressing a work piece between them, means for adjusting one of said rolls toward and from the other, and stop means adjustable independently of said adjusting means to prevent the adjustment of said adjustable roll toward the other roll beyond a position determined by a prior adjustment, thereby predetermining the desired position for subsequent adjustments.

ARTHUR S. JOHNSON. 

